


Visit

by NatIannera



Series: March Writing Madness - 2019 [11]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Everyone besides Ansem is a side character, Friendship, March Writing Madness, No Romance, Other, Reunion, reunited, seeing each other after a long time, writing challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-03-11
Packaged: 2019-11-15 20:54:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18080735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NatIannera/pseuds/NatIannera
Summary: You put it off long enough, and can't evade it anymore. It's time to pay Ansem a visit.





	Visit

**Author's Note:**

> Hoi zäme!  
> This one is a bit late again, and to be honest, I'm not that happy with it.  
> I just... really struggled with Ansem the Wise.  
> I guess it's because I'm not that happy with how his character was handled.  
> (It is one of my main criticisms of the KH series - please, let a character stay dead. Ansem's death in KH2 was quite good in my opinion, and him being alive again just... doesn't feel right to me. But I'm rambling.)  
> I hope you'll enjoy!

Staring up towards the towering castle, you swallow nervously. Is this really such a good idea…? It’s been several decades since you last saw Ansem, since you left Radiant Garden and explored other cities, countries and continents.

But you can’t put it off any longer, you’ve already put it off for several years. Ansem is probably quite angry at you, if he won’t be too sulky to talk to you. After all, he is not all that good at forgiving.

Sucking in a breath, you walk towards the castle with confident steps. At the large entrance, you can see two guards, as expected. You don’t recognize them, or at least you can’t pin a name to them, but you can pin them to a family. There’s only one family with such distinct eyebrow, and that rather scrunched-up face is also very common in another family. It makes you a bit happy to see that a family tradition has obviously been kept.

As you approach the entrance, the guards block it with their spears. The black-haired one demands to know what you want, keeping a neutral face.

At first, you request to see Ansem. They deny your request, stating that Ansem the Wise (when did that get added on?) does not want to receive any visitors today. With a bit of pestering, they agree to delay a message to Ansem. It’s a simple question, and an old insider between the both of you.

“How much sugar did ten tame goats pull to the Zoo?”

Ansem and you were both quite studious in your teen years. You forte were arts, languages and history, while Ansem was a man of the sciences. He dabbled into history as well, but not as much as you did. The question the black-haired guard passes on to Ansem will only make sense or even be funny when translated into another language.

As only one guard is left, you ask him to be so kind and, in case Ansem does ask after you, to tell Ansem that you’ll be waiting by the fountains. The guard agrees to it, and you make your way down to the fountains, taking a seat.

It is a beautiful day in Radiant Garden, as usual. The sky is bright blue, there’s no cloud in sight, the sun is shining. It isn’t burning hot yet, but nice enough to walk around without a jacket or sweater. You can hear birds chirp in the surrounding trees, and the scent of the flowers around you make the air a bit sweeter.

Closing your eyes, you soak everything up. It really has been way too long since you’ve set foot into Radiant Garden. Even though you’ve seen the beauty of the world, have seen things you never even dreamed of, Radiant Garden would always be your favorite.

Unbeknownst to you, there was a bit of chaos in the castle. After Dilan delivered your question and left again, Ansem sat there for a minute, clearly confused. He had heard that phrase before, but where? Then, as he realizes, he quickly rises from his seat and exits his study in a hurry, trying to chase after Dilan. Dilan was already at the front entrance again, standing next to Aeleus. As Ansem exited in a hurry, he questioned Dilan about your whereabouts. Aeleus provided him with the information, and Ansem immediately left for the gardens, walking quickly. The guards do raise their eyebrows a bit, wondering who exactly you are, just as Even and Ienzo wonder why such a strange question agitated their Teacher so much.

Ansem spots your silhouette from quite a distance, and forces himself to walk slower. He doesn’t want to appear next to you out of breath, since his body is not in the greatest shape anymore. When he’s close enough for you to hear, he walks carefully, as to not alert you. You surprised him, so it’s only fair he surprises you as well.

“The answer you were looking for is ‘ten cent sugar’.”

Ansem is behind you, standing still. You smile when you hear his voice, even though you notice a hint of breathlessness in it. His voice is quite different from what you remember, much more rough and worn out. It probably comes with age.

You turn your head towards him, and look up to him, still smiling. You already expected to see wrinkles, maybe even a scar or two. But what you didn’t expect was the slightly worn look in his eyes, even though there also was a happiness in them now.

“Ansem, my dearest friend. Come, take a seat next to me.” You pat the space next to you, and without protesting, Ansem obliges. Both of you are aware that as the leader of Radiant Garden, Ansem is a very busy man. But you know the Ansem you grew up with as a very efficient man, one who can balance his work and his hobby in a healthy manner. Although, if he was having a couple of bad days, he would tend to neglect his duties.

For an extended moment, the both of you just sit there, not even looking at each other or touching each other. Although there’s this air of familiarity between the both of you, there also seems to be a barrier between you. Many things changed during the time you were absent.

“I take it you’re here for a short stay before you continue your journey?” Ansem asks, completely neutral. Too neutral. It tells you that he is a bit sulky at you for leaving for so long, which you can’t really fault him for. After all, your original plan was to travel for three years, not for thirty.

“No, this is my final destination. I’m here to stay in Radiant Garden, where I belong.” You state simply, a cheerful smile on your face. Then, you take the chance to ask him a question.

“I’m sorry I was not there to mourn with you when your parents passed. But I still have to ask – why ‘Ansem the Wise’?” You can’t help but giggle at the name, to which Ansem raises an eyebrow.

“I did not chose the name, the people gave it to me. You should remember that I didn’t want a title, not like my predecessors. However, I am not one to dictate what my people can say and what they can’t say.” Ansem slowly starts to speak with his hands as well, a habit he hadn’t displayed since his early youth. It caught your eye and made you happy, showing you that you still can bring out old habits in him.

“I remember you disliking those titles, which is why I find it so funny you have one as well. But I understand your reasoning, and it is rather kind of you.” You gently nudge Ansem with your shoulder, but he doesn’t move at all, just giving you a look which tells you he is rolling his eyes mentally. You can’t help but laugh at that look, something which Ansem joins reluctantly with a short chuckle.

From then on, the conversation runs rather smoothly. There are one or two moments where you feel like you’ve hit a sore spot for him, but then either of you switches topic and everything is fine again. You know Ansem won’t immediately tell you everything that has happened while you were gone; thinking so would be idealist. After all, it has been more than ten years since you last saw him, even though you promised to visit every other year. Ansem probably was still a bit insulted by it, or maybe whatever happened hurt him too much to disclose it so quickly.

But that doesn’t matter to you. What matters to you is that you’re in Radiant Garden again, talking to Ansem, your childhood friend.

As the sun starts to set, Ansem and you fall quiet, observing the sky with its brilliant colors. It might not be as beautiful as a sunset on the beach, but you still think of it as lovely.

“I missed you, Ansem.” Without thinking too much, these words leave your mouth. And while it would’ve been awkward or embarrassing with anyone else, it didn’t feel like it with Ansem. Sure, there’s this initial shock, but after a second, you’re over it. Ansem knows you, he grew up with you. He will know that you don’t mean it in a romantic way, but rather in a purely platonic way.

Ansem glances down to you out of the corner of his eye, before a soft smile graces his features.

“I missed you as well, my dearest friend. Welcome home in Radiant Garden.”

**Author's Note:**

> And that's that.  
> Up for tomorrow: Ansem Seeker of Darkness.  
> Oh, how fitting.
> 
> Tschüss!


End file.
